A 23-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit arson with intent or being reckless as to whether life was endangered over the blaze at the Crooked House in Himley, Staffordshire. The suspect, who hails from Leicestershire, was detained on Tuesday and released on conditional bail as the investigation progresses. Four men and one woman, aged between 33 and 66, were previously arrested as part of the investigation. The man and woman from Leicestershire were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit arson with intent to endanger life, while the other three were detained on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life.
Once famous as “Britain’s wonkiest” inn, the Crooked House was gutted by fire on August 5 and razed two days later. The demolition angered many in the local community who treasured the landmark building, one of the best known in the Black Country. The pub, a former farmhouse, had been sold in July by Marston’s to ATE Farms Limited.
While Staffordshire Police are investigating the cause of the fire, South Staffordshire Council is conducting its own investigation into the demolition of the pub. The local authority said it had only permitted part of the building to be demolished on safety grounds and had not agreed to the total destruction of the site.
Authorities are asking for anyone with information related to the case to come forward. The local community, as well as the larger UK population, remain outraged over the resulting destruction of the historic landmark
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